Question

Q12. Read the
passage and answer the questions that follow:
For a discipline such as, say, nuclear physics that deals with matters unknown to most people and for
which no word exists in common speech, it seems obvious that a discipline must develop a terminology.
However, terminology is possibly even more important for sociology, just because its subject matter is
familiar and just because words do exist to denote it. We are so well acquainted with the social
institutions that surround us that we cannot see them clearly and precisely (Berger 1976125).
We have seen how even in the early stage of sociology's emergence there were contrary and contesting
understandings of society. If for Karl Marx class and conflict were key concepts to understand society,
social solidarity and collective conscience were key terms for Emile Durkheim. a) Why do we need a
special terminology in sociology?
3
b) What are the different ways of understanding concepts?
3​

Answer 1

a)However, terminology is possibly even more important for sociology, just because its subject matter is

familiar and just because words do exist to denote it.

b) understandings of society. If for Karl Marx class and conflict were key concepts to understand society,

social solidarity and collective conscience were key terms for Emile Durkheim.